

The Missions Podcast
Alex Kocman and Scott Dunford
The Missions Podcast answers hard questions about theology, missions, and practice to help goers think and thinkers go. We are conservative, evangelical, and gospel-centered.
The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE International, a missions agency with a force of about 1,000 workers serving across 70 countries with a focus on evangelism, discipleship, and church planting.
The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE International, a missions agency with a force of about 1,000 workers serving across 70 countries with a focus on evangelism, discipleship, and church planting.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 21, 2024 • 53sec
Why Language Learning Is Everything
Coming up this week: Jim Ruff joins to discuss the dos and don’ts of language learning.
Do you love The Missions Podcast? Have you been blessed by the show? Then become a Premium Subscriber!
Premium Subscribers get access to:
Exclusive bonus content
A community Signal thread with other listeners and the hosts
Invite-only webinars
A free gift!
Support The Missions Podcast and sign up to be a Premium Subscriber at missionspodcast.com/premium
The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Mar 17, 2024 • 39min
Evangelism, Media, and Saving the Unborn With Jon Speed
This week, we delve into the crucial intersection of missions, evangelism, and the pro-life movement with Jon Speed, pastor of missions and evangelism at By the Word Baptist Church in Azle, Texas. Jon brings a unique perspective on why the fight for the unborn is not just a political issue but a gospel imperative for believers across the nation. We explore the current state of the national pro-life movement, the vital ministry outside abortion clinics, and the seamless integration of evangelism with deeds of mercy. Later, Jon challenges the notion that media and entertainment are mere distractions, urging Christians to engage these domains as mission fields. This conversation is a clarion call for believers to embody the gospel in every area of life, including the public square and the realm of culture and media.
Jon Speed is not only a pastor but also an entrepreneur, author, and filmmaker with a heart for the unborn. His 2019 stand against abortion catapulted him onto national platforms such as Fox News, highlighting his commitment to life ministry outside abortion mills. Jon's book, Evangelism in the New Testament (2009), and his involvement in the films Babies Are Murdered Here (2014) and Babies Are Still Murdered Here (2019), showcase his dedication to proclaiming truth and life. As a founding partner of Loor.tv, a Christian streaming service, Jon continues to influence the culture for Christ.
Do you love The Missions Podcast? Have you been blessed by the show? Then become a Premium Subscriber!
Premium Subscribers get access to:
Exclusive bonus content
A community Signal thread with other listeners and the hosts
Invite-only webinars
A free gift!
Support The Missions Podcast and sign up to be a Premium Subscriber at missionspodcast.com/premium
The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Mar 13, 2024 • 45sec
The Problem With the Pro-Life Movement
Coming this week: pastor and pro-life minister Jon Speed joins us to discuss what it truly means to engage in life-saving work with a gospel-driven, missionary mindset.
Do you love The Missions Podcast? Have you been blessed by the show? Then become a Premium Subscriber!
Premium Subscribers get access to:
Exclusive bonus content
A community Signal thread with other listeners and the hosts
Invite-only webinars
A free gift!
Support The Missions Podcast and sign up to be a Premium Subscriber at missionspodcast.com/premium
The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Mar 10, 2024 • 33min
Who Was John Nevius? Joshua Bowman on the Missionary to China and Three-Self Missiology
Who was John Nevius, and why does his legacy continue to influence missions today? In this captivating episode of The Missions Podcast, we delve into the life and groundbreaking work of John Nevius with the insights of Joshua Bowman, a seasoned missionary with extensive experience in Zambia and South Asia, and currently serving as an Assistant Professor of Missions and Theology at Cedarville University. Bowman sheds light on Nevius’ remarkable contributions and critiques of missionary strategies in China over a century ago. Together, we discuss Nevius’ three-self approach advocating for self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating churches and its vital relevance to contemporary missions. Join us for an engaging conversation that not only honors a pioneering figure in missions history but also explores the lasting impact of his methods on the spread of the gospel today.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
The Planting And Development Of Missionary Churches (John Nevius)
The ‘Nevius Method’: Retrieving Theological and Missiological Criteria for Money in Missions (Joshua Bowman)
Do you love The Missions Podcast? Have you been blessed by the show? Then become a Premium Subscriber!
Premium Subscribers get access to:
Exclusive bonus content
A community Signal thread with other listeners and the hosts
Invite-only webinars
A free gift!
Support The Missions Podcast and sign up to be a Premium Subscriber at missionspodcast.com/premium
The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Mar 6, 2024 • 49sec
Coming Up: Who Was John Nevius?
This Sunday, Joshua Bowman of Cedarville University joins us to discuss an unsung missionary hero.
Do you love The Missions Podcast? Have you been blessed by the show? Then become a Premium Subscriber!
Premium Subscribers get access to:
Exclusive bonus content
A community Signal thread with other listeners and the hosts
Invite-only webinars
A free gift!
Support The Missions Podcast and sign up to be a Premium Subscriber at missionspodcast.com/premium
The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Mar 4, 2024 • 36min
Preserving Missionary Fervor in Our Lives and Institutions: Brooks Buser and Pat Daly Discuss ‘Missionary’
Brooks Buser of Radius International has been galavanting around the world on pilgrimage, touring the sites connected with six famed, historic missionary heroes in the filming process for a new documentary series. What did he learn in the process about the mettle needed for the missionary task? Brooks joins Alex to discuss, along with Pat Daly of Greenville Seminary, what it means to keep the Great Commission flame alive in our lives, our churches, and our Christian institutions.
Learn more about Missionary, the new docuseries and conference taking place in October 2024, at missionary.net.
Do you love The Missions Podcast? Have you been blessed by the show? Then become a Premium Subscriber!
Premium Subscribers get access to:
Exclusive bonus content
A community Signal thread with other listeners and the hosts
Invite-only webinars
A free gift!
Support The Missions Podcast and sign up to be a Premium Subscriber at missionspodcast.com/premium
The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Feb 28, 2024 • 46sec
Building Missional Institutions
Coming up this week, we’re joined by Brooks Buser and Pat Daly to discuss what it takes to build sacrificial, faithful, mission-minded churches, educational institutions, and families. Tune in Sunday night at 7 p.m.
Do you love The Missions Podcast? Have you been blessed by the show? Then become a Premium Subscriber!
Premium Subscribers get access to:
Exclusive bonus content
A community Signal thread with other listeners and the hosts
Invite-only webinars
A free gift!
Support The Missions Podcast and sign up to be a Premium Subscriber at missionspodcast.com/premium
The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Feb 26, 2024 • 30min
Paul Planted, Apollos Watered, but God: Chris Sadowitz on Weakness in Missions
In this insightful episode of the Missions Podcast, we explore a critical question at the heart of Christian ministry: What does it mean to be vulnerable in ministry, and how does it affect our approach to the mission field? We delve into the biblical principle that while Paul planted and Apollos watered, it was God who gave the growth, emphasizing the significance of vulnerability and interdependence in the spread of the gospel. Through a discussion on the application of these concepts across different cultures, the importance of humility in our communication, and the role of the fear of the Lord in shaping our vulnerability, this episode challenges our assumptions about leadership in missions.
Joining us is Chris Sadowitz, a missionary pastor serving in Japan with ABWE, adjunct professor at the Asia Biblical Theological Seminary in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and co-editor of Paul Planted, Apollos Watered, but God: Vulnerable Weakness in Ministry & Mission.
Also: be sure to enter our giveaway for one of three copies of An Introduction to the Science of Missions by J.H. Bavinck! Enter the drawing at missionspodcast.com/book.
Do you love The Missions Podcast? Have you been blessed by the show? Then become a Premium Subscriber!
Premium Subscribers get access to:
Exclusive bonus content
A community Signal thread with other listeners and the hosts
Invite-only webinars
A free gift!
Support The Missions Podcast and sign up to be a Premium Subscriber at missionspodcast.com/premium
The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Feb 22, 2024 • 26sec
Thank God for Thomas
Coming up this week: We sit down with ABWE missionary, pastor, and recent author Chris Sadowitz to discuss how God uses our weakness in ministry.
Do you love The Missions Podcast? Have you been blessed by the show? Then become a Premium Subscriber!
Premium Subscribers get access to:
Exclusive bonus content
A community Signal thread with other listeners and the hosts
Invite-only webinars
A free gift!
Support The Missions Podcast and sign up to be a Premium Subscriber at missionspodcast.com/premium
The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Feb 19, 2024 • 40min
Mailbag: Neglecting the Unreached and Fighting Heresy
In this episode, we tackle two pivotal topics at the heart of global missions. We begin by responding to one friendly criticism and exploring the nuanced definition of “reached,” emphasizing the importance of not just making contact with the unreached but ensuring every nation, tribe, and people group has a fully mature body of believers. Following this, we delve into the pressing issue of maintaining doctrinal integrity in mission fields, particularly in regions like the Middle East where there is often a disconnect from church history. We discuss the risks of neglecting historic Christian creeds to prevent the spread of theological errors in cross-cultural missions.
Also: be sure to enter our giveaway for one of three copies of An Introduction to the Science of Missions by J.H. Bavinck! Enter the drawing at missionspodcast.com/book.
Do you love The Missions Podcast? Have you been blessed by the show? Then become a Premium Subscriber!
Premium Subscribers get access to:
Exclusive bonus content
A community Signal thread with other listeners and the hosts
Invite-only webinars
A free gift!
Support The Missions Podcast and sign up to be a Premium Subscriber at missionspodcast.com/premium
The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.


